BURLINGTON, N.C. — Even after making the transition from the hardwood to the golf course, J.R. Smith remains an internet darling.
On Monday, the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard made headlines for his debut as a college golfer at North Carolina A&T, in which he shot 83 and 78 in his opening two rounds. But on Tuesday, Smith attracted attention for a different reason after having to take a brief break from the third round of his first college tournament after stepping on a beehive while searching for his ball.
The aftermath of the incident was captured by Jared Bunder, a video director with the tournament's host school, Elon University. While he paused to receive treatment for the incident, which occurred on the par-five 12th hole, he later resumed play and ultimately finished the round shooting an 81.
Earlier this year, the 36-year-old Smith was granted eligibility to play for North Carolina A&T, one of the nation's premier historically Black universities. While he spent 16 seasons in the NBA, Smith had never previously enrolled in college after being selected out of St. Benedict's Prep by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft.
While he spent time throughout his career with the Hornets, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, he is best remembered for his four-year stretch in Cleveland, in which he served as the team's starting shooting guard and a fan favorite during the Cavs' run to the 2016 NBA championship.
In 2020, Smith added a second NBA title to his resume, appearing in six regular-season and 10 playoff games for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has previously stated a desire to one day play on the PGA Tour.